The determined team who’ve taken South Africa’s only endemic parrot under their wing are celebrating 15 years of impact! This is how the Cape Parrot Project has made a difference over the years:
South Africa (08 January 2025) — There is only one true South African parrot. Green and gold-feathered, a fan of forests and yellowwood tree fruit kernels and 2023’s Bird of the Year, the Cape Parrot (Poicephalus robustus) is a precious part of South Africa’s natural heritage.
But what of its future? In a South Africa rife with urbanisation and deforestation, the Cape Parrot’s home has faced havoc. Subsequently, so has the species. The most significant proportion of the population is found in the Eastern Cape province, KwaZulu-Natal, and a small population in Limpopo.
In 2009, people like Dr Steve Boyes decided that more action was necessary. The Cape Parrot needed to be taken under the wings of not only more conservationists but also more communities. And so, The Cape Parrot Project under The Wild Bird Trust was born.
The Cape Parrot Project is now celebrating 15 years of impact. From humble beginnings in the small village of Hogsback in the Eastern Cape to spreading imperative awareness across South Africa, the organisation has so much to be proud of.
On a mission to regenerate forests, the team’s efforts aren’t just to restore natural nesting sites. When a forest is restored and free from invasive species, everything benefits—from local communities to other species dependent on ecological balance and prosperity.
15 Years of Impact for the Cape Parrot Project
The non-profit recently took to share their proudest achievements in numbers, capturing the positive impact of the last 15 years:
- Trees Planted: 72,253
- Survival Rate of Trees Planted: 85%
- Land Restored: 229 Hectares
- Seeds Collected: 1,628,774
- People Impacted Through Outreach Activities: 10,000
- People Employed: 69
- Community Nurseries: 3
- Poaching Incidents at Protected Sites: 0
- Hours of Observation: 3,320
You can support the next 15 years of impact. Whether by making a donation or purchasing a crochet parrot friend, each effort helps secure a better future for the birds that need us all.
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